FOr rather, since April 2018, Saturday’s National Day at Aintree has been, for this viewer at least, an almost entirely positive experience. It was a race full of drama and spectacle that got many of us hooked on racing in the first place, but there were no falls, no serious injuries, and the winner was Maximus, who was stunning in the run-in. The awed turn of feet will be remembered long in the memory.
This was in sharp contrast to the frenetic scene of last year’s first game. Three of the four fallers 12 months ago occurred when 39 horses passed the first two fences at high speed, and the knock-on effect was significant. A further five horses were seriously hampered by fallers, two of whom were knocked down, while a total of eight horses were seriously hampered at some stage, either by fallers or loose horses.
However, Racing Post analysis of this year’s race shows 32 runners ended up facing off against starters after two withdrawals, with the word “seriously hampered” being used just once, when Limerick Rice Lace got into trouble at a bend in the canal. Despite the reduced field size, there were still some opportunities for a large group of runners crossing Merrill Road, including two to jump. What else could annual punters want to see?
The extent to which the 15-minute delay in last year’s game added to the sense of adrenaline-fueled chaos is debatable, although it likely played at least some role. But this year’s nationals looked like a better competition in every way from start to finish.
No one can really claim to have noticed the smaller field except for the runners and trainers who just missed the run. Most of the major contenders (with the notable exception of Korach Rambler) put in the best matches they could and gave their supporters a real chance to compete. Most unusually for a national contest, there were no obvious hard-luck stories.
Many racing fans’ love for the Grand National can be traced back to childhood, so it feels like a very deep and personal connection. So it’s probably inevitable that there will be those who argue after Saturday’s race that the Nationals have been “ruined” and are no longer the spectacle or test they used to enjoy.
But the two tracks at Aintree are always a test and in the Grand National or any other race, the risk can never be completely eliminated. Sooner or later, another horse will join the list of fatal injuries in the sport’s most high-profile races. Organizers know this as well as anyone, but the latest changes to the track and racing conditions are aimed at reducing the chance of damage to horses.
As winning jockey Paul Townend aboard I Am Maximus points out, the fences still need to be crossed. The difference today is that the standard penalty for a mistake is for the horse to lose some ground, rather than losing a leg and possibly his life. “Fences are still respected,” Townend said. “We made some mistakes and lost positions, so they can still slow you down.”
But I Am Maximus was still close enough to use his superb acceleration abilities at the end of the four-and-a-quarter-mile race to take the victory he fully deserved. As a once-a-year advertisement for the excitement and spectacle of steeplechase racing to millions of viewers, it’s hard to imagine anything that could improve Saturday’s experience.
Newsletter Promotion Post
Grand Nationals are often described as motorsport’s “showcase”, with the event attracting new fans to the sport, but valuable advertising needs to have at least some basis in reality. If the latest changes to the Aintree Showcase event mean that our most popular race is now at least a bit like the other 9,999 races played every year in the UK, that might not be a bad thing either.
quick guide
Greg Wood’s Monday Tips
exhibit
Kelso: 2.00 Dollar Collar, 2.30 Woodie Flash, 3.00 Grand Voyage, 3.30 Val Dancer, 4.00 Eire Street (nap), 4.30 Celestial Fashion, 5.00 Toucan Sam, 5.35 Red Cadillac.
Redcar: 2.12 Instruction Ember, 2.42 Fighter of Glory, 3.12 Little Venice, 3.42 Order of Nobility (nb), 4.12 Royal Acclaim, 4.42 Catherine Croy, 5.12 Blufferonthebus.
Windsor: 2.20 McLovin, 2.50 Lord of Light, 3.20 Harper’s Ferry, 3.50 Tiriac, 4.20 Sergeant Pep, 4.50 Dream Pirate, 5.20 Phoenix Passion, 5.50 Hakuna Baby.
Kempton: 5.30 Reyaadah Star, 6.00 Fenisa, 6.30 Ciara Pearl, 7.00 Hat Toss, 7.30 Old Chums, 8.00 Jubilee Walk, 8.30 Heerathetrack.
Resistance to change is a perfectly normal reaction for fans who cherish the uniqueness of the Grand National, but the sport’s ability to adapt to changing attitudes over nearly 200 years has been one of the secrets of its survival. Anyone who thinks that a race with no fallers and a dozen horses that still look like they might win isn’t a “real” Grand National, or that blood and guts are an important part of it, is probably very disappointed. Need to find a fresh sport to follow. If so, cage fighting is keen to say hello.
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